1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a method of operating the same and, more particularly, to an air conditioner and a method of operating the same, which is capable of detecting the human body and automatically controlling a current of air in response to the position of the human body.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
An air conditioner is configured to control room temperature by discharging cooling or warm air into the interior of a room in order to make comfortable indoor environment and to provide more comfortable indoor environment to human beings by purifying indoor air. An air conditioner generally includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit is configured to include a heat exchanger and is placed indoors. The outdoor unit is configured to include a compressor, a heat exchanger, etc. and is configured to supply refrigerants to the indoor unit.
The air conditioner is controlled in the state where the indoor unit, including the heat exchanger, and the outdoor unit, including the compressor, the heat exchanger, etc., are separated from each other. The air conditioner is operated by controlling power applied to the compressor or the heat exchanger. Further, at least one indoor unit may be connected to the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and the air conditioner operates in air cooling or heating mode by supplying the refrigerants to the indoor unit according to a requested operating state.
Wind direction control means for controlling the direction of the wind discharged into the interior of a room is included in the discharge port of this air conditioner. The direction of the wind can be changed by manipulating a wind direction setting button included in a remote controller, etc.
In the conventional air conditioner, the direction of the wind is adjusted through manual manipulation as described above. If a user is far from the air conditioner or frequently moves here and there, it is not easy to adjust the direction of the wind. Accordingly, a problem arises because it is difficult for a user feels comfortable.
In order to overcome the problem in controlling the direction of the wind, technology for controlling a current of air according to the position of a user within a room has recently been developed.
However, in controlling the direction of the wind according to the position of the human body, in the case where the human body is actually detected and an air current is supplied to the position of the human body, the air current does not reach the position of the human body depending on the indoor environment. Although the air current reaches the position of the human body, the air current reaches only a specific area. A problem arises because a user does not feel comfortable because the difference in the temperature between the specific area and surrounding indoor areas is increased.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of more effectively providing a current of air when the air current is controlled based on a detected human body.